the daisy chain, or aspirations-第159节

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Mr。　Wllmot。

The　burial；　however；　failed　to　bring　any　peaceful　comfort　to　the
mourning　mother。　　Meta's　tears　flowed　freely；　as　much　for　her　father
as　for　her　little　niece；　and　George's　sobs　were　deep　and　choking；　but
Flora；　externally；　only　seemed　absorbed　in　helping　him　to　go　through
with　it；　she；　herself；　never　lost　her　fixed；　composed；　hopeless　look。

After　her　return；　she　went　up　to　the　nursery；　and　deliberately　set
apart　and　locked　up　every　possession　of　her　child's；　then；　coming
down；　startled　Meta　by　laying　her　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　saying；
〃Meta；　dear；　Preston　is　in　the　housekeeper's　room。　　Will　you　go　and
speak　to　her　for　a　moment；　to　reassure　her　before　I　come？〃

〃Oh；　Flora！〃

〃I　sent　for　her；〃　said　Flora；　in　answer。　　〃I　thought　it　would　be　a
good　opportunity　while　George　is　out。　　Will　you　be　kind　enough　to
prepare　her；　my　dear？〃

Meta　wondered　how　Flora　had　known　whither　to　send；　but　she　could　not
but　obey。　　Poor　Preston　was　an　ordinary　sort　of　woman；　kind…hearted；
and　not　without　a　conscience；　but　her　error　had　arisen　from　the　want
of　any　high　religious　principle　to　teach　her　obedience；　or　sincerity。
Her　grief　was　extreme；　and　she　had　been　so　completely　overcome　by　the
forbearance　and　consideration　shown　to　her；　that　she　was　even　more
broken…hearted　by　the　thought　of　them；　than　by　the　terrible　calamity
she　had　occasioned。

Kind…hearted　Mrs。　Larpent　had　tried　to　console　her；　as　well　as　to
turn　the　misfortune　to　the　best　account；　and　Dr。　May　had　once　seen
her；　and　striven　gently　to　point　out　the　true　evil　of　the　course　she
had　pursued。　　She　was　now　going　to　her　home；　and　they　augured　better
of　her；　that　she　had　been　as　yet　too　utterly　downcast　to　say　one　word
of　that　first　thought　with　a　servant；　her　character。

Meta　found　her　sobbing　uncontrollably　at　the　associations　of　her
master's　house；　and　dreadfully　frightened　at　hearing　that　she　was　to
see　Mrs。　Rivers；　she　began　to　entreat　to　the　contrary　with　the
vehemence　of　a　person　unused　to　any　self…government；　but；　in　the
midst；　the　low　calm　tones　were　heard；　and　her　mistress　stood　before
herher　perfect　stillness　of　demeanour　far　more　effective　in
repressing　agitation；　than　had　been　Meta's　coaxing　attempts　to
soothe。

〃You　need　not　be　afraid　to　see　me；　Preston；〃　said　Flora　kindly。　　〃I
am　very　sorry　for　youyou　knew　no　better；　and　I　should　not　have　left
so　much　to　you。〃

〃Oh；　ma'amso　kindthe　dear；　dear　little　darlingI　shall　never
forgive　myself。〃

〃I　know　you　did　love　her；〃　continued　Flora。　　〃I　am　sure　you　intended
no　harm；　and　it　was　my　leaving　her　that　made　her　fretful。〃

Preston　tried　to　thank。

〃Only　remember　henceforth〃and　the　clear　tone　grew　fainter　than　ever
with　internal　anguish；　though　still　steady〃remember　strict
obedience　and　truth　henceforth；　the　want　of　them　will　have　worse
results　by　and　by　than　even　this。　　Now；　Preston；　I　shall　always　wish
you　well。　　I　ought　not；　I　believe；　to　recommend　you　to　the　like
place；　without　saying　why　you　left　me；　but　for　any　other　I　will　give
you　a　fair　character。　　I　will　see　what　I　can　do　for　you；　and　if　you
are　ever　in　any　distress；　I　hope　you　will　let　me　know。　　Have　your
wages　been　paid？〃

There　was　a　sound　in　the　affirmative；　but　poor　Preston　could　not
speak。　　〃Good…bye；　then；〃　and　Flora　took　her　hand　and　shook　it。
〃Mind　you　let　me　hear　if　you　want　help。　　Keep　this。〃

Meta　was　a　little　disappointed　to　see　sovereigns　instead　of　a　book。
Flora　turned　to　go；　and　put　her　hand　out　to　lean　on　her　sister　as　for
support；　she　stood　still　to　gather　strength　before　ascending　the
stairs；　and　a　groan　of　intense　misery　was　wrung　from　her。

〃Dearest　Flora；　it　has　been　too　much！〃

〃No；〃　said　Flora　gently。

〃Poor　thing；　I　am　glad　for　her　sake。　　But　might　she　not　have　a　book
a　Bible？〃

〃You　may　give　her　one；　if　you　like。　　I　could　not。〃

Flora　reached　her　own　room；　went　in；　and　bolted　the　door。




CHAPTER　XXI。



Oh；　where　dwell　ye；　my　ain　sweet　bairns？
　　I'm　woe　and　weary　grown！
Oh；　Lady；　we　live　where　woe　never　is；
　　In　a　land　to　flesh　unknown。ALLAN　CUNNINGHAM。


It　had　been　with　a　gentle　sorrow　that　Etheldred　had　expected　to　go
and　lay　in　her　resting…place；　the　little　niece；　who　had　been　kept
from　the　evil　of　the　world；　in　a　manner　of　which　she　had　little
dreamt。　　Poor　Flora！　she　must　be　ennobled；　she　thought；　by　having　a
child　where　hers　is；　when　she　is　able　to　feel　anything　but　the　first
grief；　and　Ethel's　heart　yearned　to　be　trying；　at　least；　to　comfort
her；　and　to　be　with　her　father；　who　had　loved　his　grandchild　so
fondly。

It　was　not　to　be。　　Margaret　had　borne　so　many　shocks　with　such
calmness；　that　Ethel　had　no　especial　fears　for　her；　but　there　are
some　persons　who　have　less　fortitude　for　others　than　for　themselves；
and　she　was　one　of　these。　　Ethel　had　been　her　own　companion…sister；
and　the　baby　had　been　the　sunbeam　of　her　life；　during　the　sad　winter
and　spring。

In　the　middle　of　the　night；　Ethel　knocked　at　Richard's　door。
Margaret　had　been　seized　with　faintness；　from　which　they　could　not
bring　her　back；　and；　even　when　Richard　had　summoned　Dr。　Spencer；　it
was　long　ere　his　remedies　took　effect；　but；　at　last；　she　revived
enough　to　thank　them；　and　say　she　was　glad　that　papa　was　not　there。

Dr。　Spencer　sent　them　all　to　bed；　and　the　rest　of　the　night　was
quiet；　but　Margaret　could　not　deny；　in　the　morning；　that　she　felt
terribly　shattered；　and　she　was　depressed　in　spirits　to　a　degree　such
as　they　had　never　seen　in　her　before。　　Her　whole　heart　was　with
Flora；　she　was　unhappy　at　being　at　a　distance　from　her；　almost
fretfully　impatient　for　letters；　and　insisting　vehemently　on　Ethel's
going　to　London。

Ethel　had　never　felt　so　helpless　and　desolate；　as　with　Margaret　thus
changed　and　broken；　and　her　father　absent。

〃My　dear；〃　said　Dr。　Spencer；　〃nothing　can　be　better　for　both　parties
than　that　he　should　be　away。　　If　he　were　here；　he　ought　to　leave　all
attendance　to　me；　and　she　would　suffer　from　the　sight　of　his
distress。〃

〃I　cannot　think　what　he　will　do　or　feel！〃　sighed　Ethel。

〃Leave　it　to　me。　　I　will　write　to　him；　and　we　shall　see　her　better
before　post　time。〃

〃You　will　tell　him　exactly　how　it　was；　or　I　shall；〃　said　Ethel
abruptly；　not　to　say　fiercely。

〃Ho！　you　don't　trust　me？〃　said　Dr。　Spencer；　smiling；　so　that　she　was
ashamed　of　her　speech。　　〃You　shall　speak　for　yourself；　and　I　for
myself；　and　I　shall　say　that　nothing　would　so　much　hurt　her　as　to
have　others　sacrificed　to　her。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　she　misses　papa。〃

〃Of　course　she　does；　but；　depend　on　it；　she　would　not　have　him　leave
your　sister；　and　she　is　under　less　restraint　without　him。〃

〃I　never　saw　her　like　this！〃

〃The　drop　has　made　it　overflow。　　She　has　repressed　more　than　was　good
for　her；　and　now　that　her　guard　is　broken　down；　she　gives　way　under
the　whole　weight。〃

〃Poor　Margaret！　　I　am　pertinacious；　but；　if　she　is　not　better　by　post
time；　papa　will　not　bear　to　be　away。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　think　of　her　by　that　time。　　Send　up　your
brother　Richard；　if　you　wish　to　do　her　good。　　Richard　would　be　a　much
better　person　to　write　than　yourself。　　I　perceive　that　he　is　the
reasonable　member　of　the　family。〃

〃Did　not　you　know　that　before？〃

〃All　I　knew　of　him；　till　last　night；　was；　that　no　one　could；　by　any
possibility；　call　him　Dick。〃

Dr。　Spencer　was　glad　to　have　dismissed　Ethel　smiling；　and　she　was　the
better　able　to　bear　with　poor　Margaret's　condition　of　petulance。　　She
had　never　before　experienced　the　effects　of　bodily　ailments　on　the
temper；　and　she　was　slow　to　understand　the　change　in　one　usually　so
patient　and　submissive。　　She　was；　by　turns；　displeased　with　her
sister　and　with　her　own　abruptness；　but；　though　she　knew　it　not；　her
bluntness　had　a　bracing　effect。　　She　thought　she　had　been　cross　in
declaring　it　was　nonsense　to　harp　on　her　going　to　London；　but　it　made
Margaret　feel　that　she　had　been　unreasonable；　and　keep　silence。

Richard　managed　her　much　better；　being　gentle　and　firm；　and　less
ready　to　speak　than　Ethel；　and　he　succeeded　in　composing　her　into　a
sleep；　which　restored　her　balance；　and　so　relieved　Ethel；　that　she
not　only　allowed　Dr。　Spencer　to　say　what　he　pleased；　but　herself　made
light　of　the　whole　attack；　little　knowing　how　perilous　was　any　shock
to　that　delicate　frame。

Margaret's　whole　purpose　was　to　wind　herself　up　for　the　first
interview　with　Flora；　and　though　she　had　returned　to　her　usual　state；
she　would　not　go　downstairs　on　the　evening　the　party　were　expected；
believing　it　would　be　more　grateful　to　her　sister's　feelings　to　meet
her　without　witnesses。

The　travellers　arrived；　and　Dr。　May　hurried　up　to　her。　　She　barely
replied　to　his　caresses　and　inquiries　in　her　eagerness　to　hear　of
Flora；　and　to　convince　him　that　he　must　not　forbid　the　meeting。　　Nor
had　he　any　mind　so　to　do。　　〃Surely；〃　said　he；　when　he　had　seen　the
spiritualised　look　of　her　glistening　blue　eyes；　the　flush　on　her
transparent　cheeks；　and　her　hands　clasped　over　her　breast　〃surely
poor　Flora　must　feel　as　though　an　angel　were　waiting　to　comfort　her。〃

Flora　came；　but　there　was　sore　disappointment。　　Fond　and　tender　she
was　as　ever；　but；　neither　by　word　or　gesture；　would　she　admit　the
most　r